52
by Fubukikou135
Summary: Set after the third book. What really happened to Katniss's father? Haymitch tells her and Peeta the story of the 52nd Hunger Games, and the terror that it brought to the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so I wrote this a few years back and I just recently decided to share it. My writing has improved since then, (thankfully)  
So don't get overly annoyed by spelling mistakes or whatever.  
This story was completely thought up by me, but I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES or anything related.**

**Thank you! -Fubukikou135**

* * *

**Chapter One**

When I wake up from a nightmare in which two of my children are forced to compete in the vicious hunger games, I open my eyes with quickly in terror. It takes me a few moments to realize that not only do I not have children and never intend to, but also that the hunger games are over and will never take place again. Moonlight streams in from the open window, and brings in a cool summer breeze. Alma Coin, the former president of Panem, the capitol, is dead. In fact, I killed her for destroying my sister, Prim. President Snow is also dead, and the arenas are destroyed, so I needn't worry about any more hunger games.

I must remind myself of all this before I can relax again. My husband, Peeta's, arms are wrapped around me to keep away nightmares, but this one seems to have slipped in. I adjust myself into a more comfortable position in bed, and slowly look around the room. This house, the one in the Victors' Village, used to house my mother and Prim until President Snow obliterated District 12. My eyes rest upon an old worn book sitting on a shelf across the room. Suddenly, I know what I have to do.

I gently slip away from Peeta, who is still asleep, and slowly walk towards the book. My hands find the battered crimson cover and brush their fingertips over the slightly torn edges. The book I wasn't supposed to look at when I was little is now resting in my hands.

I vaguely remember as a child after my father died and my mother was in her zombie like depression where she shut out the rest of the world, finding this book sitting amongst my father's possessions and snatching it up. My mother suddenly shrieked for me to put the book down, which startled me because she hadn't spoken for quite a long time. I immediately dropped the tattered book to the floor, and backed away from it. My mother grasped my wrists and told me never to open that book, that the things inside would change the way I think and I would never be the same again. I had pulled away from my mother's iron grip and ran as far away as possible. Since then, I hadn't really paid much attention to the book and it's old, well read pages. Until now.

Pulling on my father's old leather jacket and hunting boots over my sleeveless nightshirt and thin pants, I set off into the crisp night air, quietly shutting the door behind me so as to not wake Peeta. I know exactly where I am going as I walk along the path in Victors' Village, my boots making barely audible thuds against the dirt.

When I arrive at Haymitch Abernathy's house, I open the door without knocking. Haymitch is sitting at the table in his house, surprisingly not holding a wine bottle. He is staring forward as if he is remembering something, and I pull up a chair and sit across from him, setting the book on the table.

I slide the book towards my old hunger games mentor and say, "Tell me about my father."

A smile creeps onto Haymitch's lips, "I knew you'd ask sooner or later. You couldn't stand to not know forever."

One of the things my mother never spoke of was my father. Whenever Prim or I tried to get information about him, she would act as if she didn't hear us.

"Yes," I agree, "How well did you know him?"

"About as well as you knew your sister," Haymitch says quickly. He knows not to linger on the subject of Prim, "But of course everyone tried to shove all extra information about him down the drain."

"Well now I want you to tell me about him," I say.

"Ah, Leon Everdeen, where to begin," Haymitch says thoughtfully.

I open to the first page of the book sitting in front of us, "How about you begin here."

"All right," Haymitch says quietly, "This all happened two years after I was crowned victor of the 50th hunger games. My family was still alive at this time, and your father was 16, just like you were at your first hunger games."

"My father was never in the hunger games," I narrow my eyes.

"See how much they have taught you?" Haymitch raises his arms in the air in a sign of defeat.

"You mean-" I begin.

"Yes," Haymitch nods, "Now let's begin at the start of his diary, where he wrote all about his hunger games."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Good luck," Marline pats my arm affectionately.

"Thank you," I quietly reply, my words calm and smooth.

Marline looks at me sympathetically, then smoothes out my hair one final time.

"10 seconds left," the monotone voice says on the loudspeaker.

"You'd better get onto the platform," Marline softly says to me.

I nod goodbye to my stylist, and slowly walk onto the platform where I will be lifted into the arena.

"5 seconds left," the voice speaks again.

Marline gives me a half-hearted smile as the transparent, glassy door closes behind me. After a couple of seconds, my platform begins to rise. Rising up higher, and higher into the arena that awaits me.

Welcome to the 52nd hunger games.

As I ascend into the arena, I think of all of the people watching at home: Haymitch; my mother, Sea; my father, Tarin; and maybe even Sarah.

I arrive in the arena, and the transparent walls that were trapping me inside of them slowly sink into the complex underground tunnels below. I take the 60 seconds before the games begin to survey my surroundings. The ground in this area is dirt, and several run-down houses litter the place. Farther behind me seems to be the entrance to a large, black coal mine with a wooden mine shaft. The sky above me is clear blue, with the exception of the high tech grid pattern. It doesn't take me long to realize what this arena is: District 12, or at least a smaller replica of it. To my left and right are chain link fences, charged with electricity. Straight forward is more of the electric fence, but with an opening like a large door centered in the middle.

It becomes clear to me the motive of this hunger games, even before everyone's favorite Claudius Templesmith says it over the loudspeaker.

As the timer clock located in the cornucopia at the center of the arena, where it is just a grassy meadow, reaches the number 30, Claudius's voice rings out loud and clear, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 52nd hunger games! In this arena, the tributes will be placed in a smaller version of their own district, with all of the comforts from home. The districts lie in order from 1 to 12 along the edges of the arena, and the cornucopia is located in the center. If one tribute is growing hungry, and they wish to eat, they could risk their life running from their district, to District 4 to eat fish as an example. Also, be careful not to touch the fences, you'll get quite a shock!"

The clock now reads 5.

"And on that note, may the odds be ever in your favor, and let the 52nd hunger games begin!" Claudius finishes.

As soon as the timer buzzes 0, I see tributes from all districts leaving their platforms and rushing to the cornucopia in the center. The girl beside me, Violet Abernathy, quickly leaves her place to join them.

The capitol generally ensures protection from the hunger games on the victor's family, but after the stunt with the force field two years ago that Haymitch pulled off, they 'accidentally' drew Violet's name at the reaping. The capitol apparently is fine with accidents, because they kept poor 12-year-old Violet in the games.

To avoid the initial bloodbath that the beginning of the games brings, I don't immediately go to the cornucopia. Instead, I go to the place that comforts me most, the woods outside District 12, which they have surprisingly recreated.

I dash into the woods as fast as I can and climb the rough bark of a tree. It doesn't take long until I hear the sounds of cannons going off. I count 12 cannons, which means that already half of us are dead. As I sit in the tree, I wonder if Violet was among them.

I smile to myself, thinking about my plan. Once the initial bloodbath at the cornucopia is over and the other tributes are gone, if there's anything left worth taking, I'll grab it. Probably most of the tributes that survived were careers, which might be a problem considering that they might flee their districts right away and use the cornucopia as a base camp.

I don't know how long I wait, but it is a long time for sure. After a while, I close my eyes and listen to the distant hum of the electric fence, probably not too far away from me. I slowly open my eyes once I think it is time that I can go to the cornucopia. The sky still bears the grid like pattern, but now it is slowly being dyed gradient shades of blue.

I slowly dislodge myself from a crevasse in the branches and climb down the rough bark of the tree. I nearly fall to the ground halfway through climbing, because the capitols anthem starts playing loud and clear around the whole arena. We all know what this means, and we all dread it. Now after the capitol's seal burns its image into the sky, we will all see the faces of the tributes that have died today.

The capitol's seal appears in the nighttime sky, an eagle with its wings spread high and boldly, in a ring of blue light that is emblazoned with the word PANEM over and over. Suddenly, the faces of our dead competitors appear one by one.

The boy from 2, Garrett; The boy from 3, Drake; the boy from 4, Talon; both tributes from 5, C.J. and Cara; the boy from 6, Fred; both tributes from 8, Zephyr and Andrea; both from 9, Jake and Mila; Sandra, the girl from 10; and the boy from 11, Fidelius. The tributes are listed in numerical order from district 1 to 12, and I have counted 12 faces out, which means Violet is still alive.

The seal appears once more, then the anthem fades out and the eagle vanishes from sight. Stars begin to twinkle in the arena's sky, one for each dead tribute. This makes me hate the hunger games even more.

As I quietly finish climbing the tree, I think about the eleven remaining tributes that I'll have to fight against. Suddenly, I hear a scream coming from my left, District 11. A cannon blares loudly. Make that 10 tributes who are left to fight. The person who was just killed was probably Flora, who was only twelve years old and probably wasn't expecting some career to sneak up behind her and stab her in the back just so that they could get District 11's specialty, agriculture.

I quickly sprint across the forest floor, where moonlight streams in from between the branches overhead. Finally, I am out of the forest and running down the dirt roads of my home district. The path is fairly straight all the way to the district entrance. As I reach the electric fence, I slow down and come to a halt in the doorway. The field and cornucopia seem free of tributes, so after quickly arming myself with a sharp stone lying near the fence, I head out into the field.

I run at a moderate pace across the cold grass, my footsteps very quiet. I am almost at the cornucopia when a silver arrow whizzes past my chest, just missing me by an inch. _Careers!_ I think to myself. I duck and roll to the side just as another arrow just misses my face. The cornucopia is just a stones throw away, and that's exactly what I do. My hand releases the stone in an arch, and after so much practice with hunting, I never miss. There is a dull thunk as my weapon hits the head of whoever is inside the cornucopia.

I didn't throw the stone hard enough to kill the person, and I'm partially relieved when I arrive at the cornucopia entrance, where I find Violet lying in a small pool of blood, my stone lying not far away. Haymitch will never forgive me, I can be sure of that. He was even upset when he found out his sister would be a tribute with me, the best hunter in District 12. Clutched in Violet's small hands and a bow and several arrows that she could defend herself with. She is surrounded in various packs that when I open, see contain many days worth of food and canteens of water.

I feel sympathetic, Violet had gone off to a great start, she had probably hoped that she could survive by warding off the other tributes with her bow, and survive until we all killed each other off.

I pull the arrows from her fists, and take the bow as well. Once I have this, I can feed myself, and one of the districts is bound to have freshwater. I take whatever medical supplies lie in the various bags around Violet and apply them to her head, leaving her with the bags of food. She'll live. I know she will, because Sarah taught me how to treat most wounds. I give Violet a final glance, and then quickly exit the dark cornucopia.

I run across the grass once more, heading for District 12. This time I am not intercepted by anyone or anything. Quietly, I sneak back into my district and take shelter under some bushes. I wish Will Mellark were here, he worked as a baker with his father in district 12. Will was excellent at frosting cakes, and he could do a mighty good camouflage to anyone who wanted to escape the peacekeepers in 12.

I curl up into a ball to conserve body heat; the gamemakers will probably send some cold wind on us tonight. Suddenly, the distant hum of the electric fence stops abruptly. This could only mean one thing, that someone has disabled the electric fence and found a way to move silently from district to district without waking anyone. They will creep up on us to kill us in our sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

In my mind I review the remaining tributes. There's the two from District 1, Marco and Alice, who I am pretty sure are camping out in District 11. The only one left from 2 is a girl named Linda, who might be teamed up with another career. From 3 there's the girl Amaranth, who looked cold and calm like me on the televised reaping. There's Tara from 4, Sheena from 5, Pluto and Saffron from 7, and Chiron from 8. Which tribute would know how to disable an electric fence?

Then it hits me, the girl from 3, Amaranth. District 3 specializes in electronics. What if Amaranth is working her way down from District 3 right now? Slowly making her way to District 12. At least she might not know that Violet is in the cornucopia.

A cannon shot confirms my suspicion. Either Linda found and killed Amaranth in her first attempt at murder or the clever girl from 3 outwitted her. I pray to myself that Amaranth will have to turn in for the night and not make it to District 12. My final thoughts before I drift off to sleep are that I hope she doesn't find me.

* * *

I wake up coughing, smoke filling my lungs. The sky shows that it is morning, being a brilliant light blue, but it is shrouded in thick black smoke. I quickly scramble to my feet and look in the direction of the fire. My eyes widen as I see District 11 burning to the ground.

So there goes the career's food supply, and possibly the careers themselves. This explains the capitol's logic, when both tributes from a district are killed; their district goes along with them, thereby eliminating the product from that district. It is clear what the capitol is saying, _be careful whom you eliminate, it might just cause your downfall_.

That's good, I haven't killed anyone yet, but Amaranth might just be finding out the hard way. I take off running from District 12, hardly knowing what I'm doing until I reach the cornucopia.

"Stay back!" A feminine voice shrieks at me.

I simply reply by drawing my bow and pointing an arrow straight at Violet's face, "Listen, if you let me in, I have something important to tell you."

Violet is quiet for a while. I can tell she doesn't trust me after what happened last night with the rock. Finally, she whispers only loud enough so that I can just barely hear, "Come in only if you promise you wont kill me."

I nod, and put withdraw my bow. I'm surprised that most of Violet's bags of food are gone when I enter.

"What happened to all of your stuff? When I came here last night, you had a whole cornucopia full of goodies," I ask the girl who so resembles Haymitch. Her eyes have the same steady look, like she can read your mind.

"That trickster from 7, Saffron, took it all while I was unconscious," Violet looks forlornly around the once full cornucopia.

"How did you know it was her?" I ask, puzzled.

Violet stares back at me coldly, "The other guy from 7, Pluto came in later today and teased me about letting her get away with all of my stuff. I wanted to tear his pathetic throat out, the jerk!"

"And they didn't kill you, why?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Something about Marco's orders," Violet replies, "The careers from 1 are teaming up with the people from 7 and that girl Sheena from 6."

"How did you set up camp in the cornucopia last night?" I hunger for answers.

"Well, Flora from 11 and I decided to form an alliance, after the bloodbath at the cornucopia where the other guy from her district Fidelius was killed. We hid in District 11 until nightfall, when I decided to search the cornucopia for more useful items. I left her, heard the scream and the cannon later on, and decided just to stay here with all of the stuff," Violet sighs, "Poor Flora, she seemed so young."

"You're the same age as her," I say, but looking at Violet's face, I conclude that she looks more mature, fierce even. It's the harsh conditions in the Seam that did it to her, that does it to almost every child.

"I guess so," Violet laughs weakly, "I kind of forgot what with all of the commotion."

She lifts one of the few remaining backpacks and snatches up a silver knife from the floor, "So Leon, what was this important information you wanted to give me?"

I eye the knife and set my hand on the bow, just in case, "When both tributes die from one district the district burns."

Violet's eyes widen in surprise, "Which ones are gone?"

"District 11 for sure, I nearly choked to death this morning from the smoke," I gesture at the smoldering remains of the eleventh district.

"Oh my," Violet says, slowly rising to her feet, but then dropping down onto the floor again. She looks very dizzy and disoriented.

"Are you okay?" I ask, kneeling down to her.

"Fine," She closes her eyes and nods slowly.

I stare at Haymitch's sister. At the terrible condition I accidentally put her in. I remember Haymitch's final words to me: "_Take care of Violet. If you don't she'll be dead by the second day, knowing her._" She's survived one day so far, but in this condition, she won't make it much further. I just hope that some careers don't find her in this state.

I look into her eyes, "Look, I'm sorry for hurting you," I begin, "I had no idea it was you and I thought-"

Violet interrupts me by holding up her hand to silence me. She smiles knowingly and says, "Isn't that what the hunger games are all about? Hurting people? It's not your fault, Leon."

Pausing for a moment to think about her words, I stand in the cornucopia entrance, fully vulnerable. Finally, I nod and leave, walking at a slow pace across the grass. I know where I am heading. District 10, where they have probably moved to after the burning of District 11.

I am joining up with the careers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When I arrive at District 10, it isn't a warm welcome. As I slowly enter through the gap in the once electric fence, my bow is in position and ready to fire. As soon as I'm in the district, a battle-axe whizzes by my head, but I'm to quick for the dim-witted career, and I duck out of the way. I stand, and dislodge the axe from the fence. It's not too big, but it's heavy enough that only one of the more muscular tributes could wield it.

Marco. I smile as I toss the axe outside the district. I begin to walk forward, my bow still poised in attack position. District 10's specialty is livestock. There has bound to be some stray cattle roaming this district, probably being hunted by careers. I observe the area, and see that it is mostly wide-open grass with a twisted dirt path. It seems to have a clearer, brighter sky than 12, and there are several trees littered around the district.

As I approach the nearest tree, a tall oak, I hear rustling in the branches above. I know Marco's attack before he can inflict it upon me, and I am already several feet away when he plunges from the tree and lands dangerously on the ground. He slowly and shakily stands, and I see he has a cut lip.

"You don't have a weapon," I tell him straight out. Of course he's muscular enough to tackle me and inflict serious damage, but my silver arrows would get him before he could consider it.

"Yeah," he advances on me, limping on the leg he twisted when he fell, "But has that ever stopped me before?"

"I wasn't in the bloodbath," I step backward, still eyeing him warily.

"Oh yes, I forgot that you weren't there to see me strangle poor Drake from 3," Marco boasts proudly, an evil smile playing across his lips.

"And I'm glad I wasn't," I nod to him.

Marco finally seems to give up the attack approach, and asks me, "Why are you here? To kill us?"

I smile mockingly at him, "You really think I'd attack a whole band of highly trained fighters with only my arrows and my wits? No, I've come to ask to join up with you."

This takes Marco by surprise, "Team up with us?"

"You heard me, Marco," I nod.

He squints at me, then slowly says, "You won't pull any stunts, right? 'Cause if you do, it will be this," he makes the slitting throat motion.

"No," I tell him, "I won't."

Marco stares at me for a moment, and then seems to make up his mind, "Follow me, then."

He leads me down the path for a long ways until we finally reach an area where a few cows are grazing calmly. When we reach the careers' camp, all of their weapons are immediately trained on me.

There's Marco's fellow tribute from 1, Alice; Sheena; and Pluto with Saffron, all with their weapons ranging from short sword to a bow and arrows pointing straight at my heart.

"Relax," Marco raises his hands in the air, "He's with us."

"How can you be sure?" Alice observes me cautiously.

Saffron and Pluto nod in agreement. It's only Sheena that approaches me.

"I think he's smart, joining up with the strongest people to insure his survival," Sheena rests her hand on my arm.

Immediately, I decide to kill her first after the alliance breaks. She's clearly trying to win my approval so that she can eliminate me as soon as possible when I don't expect it. This kind of cleverness can't go on in the game.

Marco nods, "Sheena's right, he seriously couldn't even imagine taking down all of us at once, not with those puny muscles."

I keep my ground and grip my bow tightly, not saying a word. I am waiting for the careers to decide I'm safe. Joining up with the careers will help me get rid of Tara, and Chiron. Then once those two are gone, I'll leave the careers.

"I suppose he can join us," Alice finally lowers her throwing daggers.

Pluto nods, and sheathes his sword. Saffron doesn't have a weapon, but she has Violet's bags hung over her shoulders. Sheena had a golden bow and arrows, which she had quickly set down after my arrival.

"But what about her?" Saffron worriedly points to the grassy fields behind us.

Marco and I turn to see what she had been talking about. Violet stands before us, her silky brown hair blowing in the gentle breeze. She approaches Marco.

"If Leon joins, I join too," she says unfeelingly.

"So both the brats from 12 are in now?" Pluto scoffs.

"Shut up," Marco whips around to face him, "Just remember that you're only in this alliance because you have some skill with a sword. If you didn't have that talent, we would've killed you right off the bat!"

Pluto looks down at his feet, ashamed. Saffron makes no effort to comfort her fellow tribute from 7. Alice starts walking towards Violet.

"Little girl," Alice begins.

"Don't you dare call me that," Violet clenches her fists.

Alice steps back in mock alarm and then snorts rudely. Marco shoots her a mean glance, and then turns to Violet.

"What Alice means is that we're only keeping you alive for a reason as well," Marco tells her straightforwardly.

"I understand," Violet nods, then without warning walks straight towards the slightly smoking campfire and sits down in front of it.

Marco shrugs to Alice as if to say 'that's that.' For the first time, I notice the harsh burn marks on Sheena's arms and legs. Then I remember that the careers had been in District 11 when it burned. Sheena must've just barely escaped, judging by the burns.

When she leaves my side to sit next to Violet, I notice her pained walking and feel a bit of sympathy.

"Well now that we have two more members of our alliance, we'll just be that much harder to defeat," Marco states, quietly sitting down on the grass.

Saffron nods, then turns to me, "You, Leif-"

"Leon," I correct her harshly.

"Leon," she repeats, drawing out the syllables, "Whatever. Now, tell me a little bit about District 12. I've always wondered what it's like there."

"For a start, there's lots of coal," I say.

Saffron sighs, "Seriously!"

"I'm serious!" I tell her. I'm not telling her the secrets of my district, because it will just help her out if she ever makes it to District 12.

She stares at me coldly, then quietly says, "Fine," and walks away.

I'm not going to bond with the careers no matter what they do or say. After a while, I quietly start plucking the tall grass from the field and weaving it into rope necklaces, like in the song, _The Hanging Tree_. The song my father taught me when I was younger, too young to understand the disquieting words.

After a long while, it grows dark and the careers strike up a fire from the flint and steel that Saffron has. Not long after the fire starts up, does the capitol's anthem begin to play. The seal appears in the sky followed by the faces of first Linda, then Flora. Two more stars flicker to life in the sky, making fourteen. Fourteen dead tributes, ten left. Finally the anthem fades out and the seal appears once more, followed by darkness.

"They forgot one," says Pluto after a long pause.

None of us quite understand what he means until he hurls his sword into one of the trees above our heads. There is a yelp of pain, and then Chiron falls from the tree, Pluto's sword through his stomach.

He must've been spying on us the whole time from the tree. Suddenly, we realize how terrible our situation is right now. Pluto is still smiling proudly as we rush over to Chiron's still body to try to keep him from dying as long as possible.

Chiron's fellow 10 tribute was Sandra, who died the first day, so if he dies, we'll all be burned to death. Of course, Chiron knows this as well, and he just keeps screaming for us to kill him as we try to pull Pluto's sword from his body.

Eventually, Chiron's screams soften to a whimper, then to silence.

"What have you done?" Violet turns to Pluto as Chiron coughs up warm blood.

A cannon sounds as soon as Marco stands to snap Pluto's neck. Suddenly a red glow appears not too far away from us. I immediately stand to run from the inferno, but then I realize that Violet can't run with her head injury.

So I do what has to be done, I lift Violet into my arms and run. I run like I've never run before. I vaguely notice Saffron, Marco and Alice running at a steady pace behind us. Sheena is probably going to die from the blaze, because she can't run properly with all of the burns that she has.

Two cannons sound one after another, Pluto and Sheena. As the careers, Violet and I desperately run from the flames that could easily consume our lives, I think of how Amaranth is probably smiling to herself, listening to the cannons, one after another.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The careers and us tumble into the center field, just escaping the hungry flames that devoured Chiron and Sandra's district. I look up into the sky and count seventeen stars. Only seven of us left. I gently set Violet on the cool grass, and then fall to the ground, coughing from the smoke I had inhaled.

"Stupid Pluto!" Marco shouts in between coughs, "He should've known!"

Saffron is sobbing quietly, shuddering every once in a while. From fear, or from smoke, I don't know. Violet just lies on the ground next to me, doing nothing. For a second, I fear that she has died, but then I remember that a cannon would've sounded if she had.

* * *

Haymitch stops reading abruptly. There has been a knock at the door.

"Come in!" he yells.

The front door slowly creaks open, and Peeta slips in.

"I knew I'd find you here. Where else would you go?" Peeta turns to me.

He must realize how violently I am shaking, or how Haymitch's forehead is shining with sweat, because he suddenly frowns and slowly walks towards us.

"What's wrong?" he asks slowly.

"Why don't you pull up a chair," Haymitch suggests.

Peeta sits down in a chair to my right and looks at the page we're on of my father's diary.

"What's this?" Peeta examines the page.

Haymitch takes a breath, about to explain it all, but I put up my hand to silence him.

"Keep reading, we'll explain later," I say.

Haymitch's hand begins to shake nervously as he rests it upon the page again, and Peeta quickly moves the hand away.

"No," Peeta begins, "You look like you've read enough all ready. I think I'll read from here on."

Haymitch nods slowly, then relaxes a bit as Peeta begins to read...

* * *

I glance at the smoldering remains of what was the district we were just camping in, now black as soot and smoking. The sky above it has gone pitch black. I look all around myself to observe the dead districts. Districts 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are all reduced to rubble, which means the only ones left are 1, 3, 4, 7, and 12.

We spend the whole night lying out in the open, completely exposed and weak. No one comes during the night, and when the sky begins to turn blue in the morning, we are all still alive. None of us could really sleep except Violet and Saffron, who just cried herself to sleep.

When we begin to rise to our feet, I notice Alice's condition. She was sitting on the far end of the fire, and she must not have gotten up quick enough, because half of her once beautiful face is black and burnt. Marco also notices her for the first time, and falls to his knees in shock.

"Alice!" he shouts.

Alice's chin quivers like she's going to cry, and she collapses into Marco's arms. The once powerful careers now reduced to sobbing pathetic people covered in scars. I am not hurt at all, and I am on my feet in no time. Violet stands up next to me, and quickly leans over to kiss me on the cheek.

"Thank you," she whispers to me, "You saved my life."

I am afraid Violet will break down and become an emotional wreck like Saffron and Alice, but she holds herself together. We nod to each other, each knowing what the other is going to do, and split up. I head for District 12, while she returns to the careers to do what she's wanted to do since the morning of the second day.

I hear a high-pitched scream, and a cannon fires signaling Saffron's death. It was simple, because all I had to do was hand Violet Pluto's sword last night. We both agreed it would be better to end Saffron's life before she went crazy over the death of Pluto.

I don't know what will happen to Violet from here on, because we parted ways, but I hope she will live. I am so wrapped up in my thoughts as I enter District 12 that I run right into another tribute as soon as I get in.

We both fall to the ground, briefly stunned, not knowing who the other is, but as soon as my vision becomes less blurry, it is clear to me that I'm staring into the bright blue eyes of Amaranth. We have our weapons pointed at one another's throats in one second flat.

Amaranth squints at me through her glasses, "Leon Everdeen from 12. My name's Amaranth."

"I know," I nod, my arrow still pointing directly at her neck, "Why are you in District 12?"

"I could ask the same of why you and the careers were camping out in 10," Amaranth states, not relaxing her grip on the knife she holds.

I continue to stare at her, saying nothing. We keep the glare on one another until Amaranth finally breaks the silence.

"You know, if either of us tried to kill the other right now we'd both wind up dead," she says.

"True," I nod, "So do we agree to lower our weapons?"

Amaranth laughs, "All promises in the arena are meant to be broken," but she lowers her knife anyway.

She's right, but I too lower my bow. We both rise to our feet.

"How are the careers doing now? I heard a lot of cannons last night, and who died this morning?" Amaranth asks.

"Saffron just was killed, and Sheena, Pluto and Chiron died last night," I reply, "Alice's face is really badly burned, and Marco is spending all his energy keeping her sane."

Amaranth's eyes flicker with mischief, "Wow, they're unstable."

"How's that other girl, Tara?" I start walking into the district alongside Amaranth.

"Oh, she's a clever one. I tried to get her, but she must've known I was after her, because she slipped out of sight in District 4 and I couldn't find her," she explains.

Amaranth and I are approaching the woods that the coal mines lay to the left of. Suddenly, Amaranth stops and stares into my eyes.

"Are we forming an alliance or not? I don't want to be in constant fear that I'm going to be killed," she asks me seriously.

I hesitate for a moment. I'm not entirely sure I can trust the girl from 3, but then again, she's the only one I could possibly trust besides Violet. She also has something in her that reminds me of Sarah that I can't place.

So when I say, "Yes, we are," it's entirely truthful.

Amaranth studies me for a moment, then nods to confirm it. A smile appears on her lips, "Do you want to know the real reason why I'm in 12?"

"Why?" I ask. From what I've seen, all of the districts I've visited have had something to aid the tributes survival. The only one that doesn't appear to have anything useful is 12, except of course that it has the forest.

"Well, what is District 12's industry?" Amaranth begins.

"Coal mining," I reply immediately, "But what does that have to do with survival?"

"I have a feeling there's something other than coal deep in those mines," Amaranth smiles.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Amaranth and I near the mining shaft that will bring us into the ever-familiar darkness of District 12. At home I work in the mines, so I am very used to the pitch-blackness that comes with it all. We arrive at the shaft and quickly step in, ready to investigate the tunnels below.

Amaranth looks quite nervous as the mining shaft descends into darkness, but I keep calm. Of course we have no idea what lies in the maze of passageways below, but we're sure it has to be something important. Why else would it be hidden? Unless the gamemakers just assumed that anyone from District 12's instinct would lead them down here.

We reach the bottom with a loud thud that echoes throughout the dark passageways. I step off the platform before Amaranth and am surprised to find a lantern lying on the ground. It looks like it was dropped here by accident, and there is a dent in it's handle, but it will work nevertheless.

"Do you have any matches in your bag?" I turn to Amaranth.

"Oh, yeah I do," she seems to awaken from a daze.

Amaranth digs in her bag until she withdraws a match. She steps off the platform and towards me.

"Thanks," I say, taking the match from her outstretched hand.

I strike the match and light the lantern, which immediately illuminates the area that we're in. Straight ahead there is a long tunnel that leads into darkness. To our right and left lie more tunnels that are similar, though one seems to glow faintly.

"Which one do we go in?" asks Amaranth, breaking the silence.

"I'm not sure," I reply quietly.

Suddenly a scream rings out loud and clear through the passageways. Amaranth and I both go into attack positions, not knowing what we'll have to face.

There are a series of loud thudding noises, and Tara comes running out of the passage to the left, the darker one. She is screaming shrilly as she runs up to us and grabs me by the shoulders.

"If you value your life, run!" she screams at me.

As soon as she was here, she is gone, running down the tunnel ahead.

Amaranth turns to me, a look of fright on her face, "What is she talking about?"

Suddenly it hits me. The underground passageways are a trap from the gamemakers.

"Amaranth, we have to get out of here," I begin, "Right now!"

"Why?" she asks, but I don't need to tell her.

With loud yells of pleasure, four mutts bound out of the left tunnel. Even though they are just barely visible by the lantern light, I can make out their most distinct features.

They have razor sharp fangs, but not just in their mouth. Fangs litter their whole body, and their beady snake eyes seem to lock into mine. The parts of their bodies that aren't covered with snow-white teeth are pitch black, like the tunnels of the mine. Their screeches ring out through the tunnels, piercing our eardrums.

"Mutts!" Amaranth screams.

I grab her by the wrist and sprint down the same tunnel Tara had entered just moments before. Our footsteps echo loudly, and our heavy, terror stricken breathing is clearly audible. The screeching mutts are right behind us, and I can hear their fangs scraping against the cavern walls.

We seem to run forever, and I try to run even faster when I see light ahead.

"Up this way!" I yell to Amaranth as we near the light, which is a rope ladder leading aboveground.

The rope ladder is rough and unstable, and swings dangerously with every step we climb. The mutts will catch us if we don't climb fast enough, and I am afraid that they'll get Amaranth. She's not climbing as fast as me, and she is trying to hold onto her knife to keep from dropping it.

"My knife!" she screams as it slips from her shaking hand and clatters to the cavern floor below where the mutts are approaching the rope ladder.

"Leave it!" I yell, and finally reach the top of the ladder.

Amaranth is a reasonable ways away from me, and the mutts are now at the foot of the ladder, chopping away at it with their grotesque fangs. The rope ladder wont hold any longer, and Amaranth is almost to the top. Then two things happen at once. I realize that Amaranth will die as the ropes reach their final thinness, and Tara pitches herself into the darkness from right near me.

I was so caught up in trying to help Amaranth that I didn't notice her next to me. Why did she throw herself into the cavern, knowing that the mutts would tear her to pieces? Then it becomes clear to me, she was trying to save Amaranth by distracting the mutts.

As soon as Amaranth reaches the surface, a cannon sounds. We are both breathing heavily, and we're covered with coal dust. The mutts' screeching eventually gets quieter and quieter, and finally is reduced to silence.

After a long while, Amaranth says, "We're in the cornucopia."

I realize that she's right. We're right behind the large black box that Violet was sitting on yesterday, and her remaining packs litter the ground. Where is she though? Surely Marco and Alice wouldn't accept her after she murdered Saffron.

We stand up and make our way out of the cornucopia into the sunlight. Five tributes left. I wonder who will kill who, and to be honest, I'm not in the best shape to fight right now.

The careers are nowhere in sight, which is good or bad depending on how you look at it.

"Leon," Amaranth turns to me, "It was a trap."

"I know," I nod, "It looks like the tunnels connected the districts together, and that's probably how Tara kept making her escapes."

"Tara," Amaranth bites her lip, "Even though I tried to kill her before, she still sacrificed herself to save my life."

I still don't know why she did it, but I am glad that she did. Amaranth is a valuable ally at this point in the game.

"I wonder where Violet is," I say out loud. I hope she is safe, especially since the careers aren't where I left them.

"Looking for someone?" says a voice above us.

Amaranth and I turn around to see Marco on top of the cornucopia, holding a hand over Violet's mouth. In the other hand is one of Alice's daggers, pressed against the girl's throat.

Tears run down Violet's cheeks and she is fighting to break free from Marco's grasp.

"I figured you'd want to see her die," Marco smiles cruelly, "After all, she was the smartest player."

"What?" I ask, confused. I don't recall Violet doing anything worth being called 'the smartest.'

"She started to disable the bomb," Alice steps out from behind Marco's back, her face still as charred and ugly as before.

A look of terror comes across Amaranth's face, "You found out about the bomb as well?"

"Well, Saffron actually found it. When she went to steal little miss perfect's bags of food, she found the black box that the girl was laying near. Saffron wouldn't of known it was a bomb if it hadn't have been for Violet here."

"I don't understand," I say, confused.

"She started to disable the bomb," Alice explains, "She probably didn't want anyone using it to explode her stash of goodies."

Violet begins to cry harder and she stops fighting against Marco's grasp. She knows that she won't survive.

"Say goodbye," Marco says mockingly.

Then at the same instant that Violet's throat is slit, Alice falls to the ground off the cornucopia, a silver arrow protruding directly from her heart.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Two cannons sound one after another, two more shimmering stars in the sky, two tributes dead, and one less girl in District 12. I am suddenly aware of how I'm shaking with rage. A hovercraft materializes overhead and picks up Violet's body. Another appears as the other vanishes, picking up Alice's dead body from the bloodstained grass.

"Of course, Violet wasn't the only one who knew about the bomb," Marco sneers.

"You don't care that your ally just dropped dead? You don't feel any sadness?" Amaranth shouts at the boy from 1, "Well I know that I would care if he," she points to me, "were to die right now!"

Marco squints menacingly at Amaranth, and says, "I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Just so you know, there can only be one victor of the hunger games, so even if I die, you'll still have to look forward to killing your friend there."

"Ah, alliances," I give a half smile, "So quickly made, so easily broken."

"To get back to what I was saying before," Marco cuts me off with a rude gesture, "The girl from 4, Tara, she knew about it too. She also knew that since were so few remaining tributes, to set off the bomb would be suicide. The capitol was planning that the tributes would use it when there was a great amount of people still, because after calculations, she figured the explosion would only cover the area of the inner circle."

"May I ask how you know all of this?" Amaranth says through clenched teeth.

Marco smiles proudly, "Let's just say that they really do make excellent electric devices in District 3, and with the proper tweaking they double as torture devices."

"You got into District 3?" Amaranth gasps.

Neither Amaranth nor I had known of this move made by the careers. Amaranth gropes at her belt for her knife, but then remembers that she had dropped it in the mines below. She curses under her breath and Marco begins to laugh.

"District 1 won't have a victor this year," I tell Marco coldly.

Marco looks over me, and looks slightly alarmed when he realizes I have no injuries. I haven't for this whole game. In truth, I have been one of the best players this year.

"They want the game to end," Amaranth suddenly whispers, staring up at the sky.

I follow her gaze, and see a silver capsule floating down from the sky on a parachute. The sky has turned the brilliant color of sunset, also signaling that by the night, if we haven't killed each other off, the capitol will ensure that there is a victor.

The parcel lands in my hands, and I see a small note attached. My fingers fumble with the paper, and I get choked up when I read the message.

_Thank you –H_

From my hunger games mentor, my best friend, and my savior, Haymitch Abernathy. I open the capsule to find one single black arrow so elegantly designed with delicate white swirls and patterns. The arrowhead is bright white, and I notice all of the tributes names etched in black on its smooth, deadly surface. _Marco, Alice, Garrett, Linda, Drake, Amaranth, Talon, Tara, C.J., Cara, Fred, Sheena, Pluto, Saffron, Zephyr, Andrea, Jake, Mila, Chiron, Sandra, Fidelius, Flora, _and finally, surrounded by delicate drawings of flowers, _Violet_.

The white designs all along the arrow form the number 12 when I look closely. I know how I will use this arrow. This arrow, signaling my victory. Signaling hope. My name is the only one that is not on the arrow, which tells me that I am the only one who defies the capitols rules. The single rebel of 24 tributes.

I am Leon Everdeen.

Amaranth smiles when she sees my gift. She nods as if to confirm my plan.

Marco stares down at us, "Oh, you got a present from your mentor? Well I hope you know it's not going to help you win!"

I gaze at the arrow, and then finally turn my eyes to the final remaining career, "No, maybe it won't help me win, but it will help me finish you."

The District 12 arrow is in his chest before he can shout a nasty response. Marco looks down at the weapon protruding from his body, and laughs a pained laugh.

"So this is how you want to end it, huh?" he chokes out.

Amaranth and I stare at him, unfeeling, unsympathetic.

"Well, I didn't die a terrible death," Marco slowly says, "I made it this far."

He nods, tears now quietly streaming down his pale face, "Well, District 1, you didn't have a total loss. I made it this far," he repeats.

"You did great, as a piece in the capitol's games," Amaranth quietly says.

Marco nods, closing his eyes, "I was nothing more than a piece, but you two aren't. Show them…" his voice falters, "Show them…"

He shakes on his unsteady legs, "Show them I was, no we all were… more…"

Marco falls to the ground, the ghost of a smile etched on his dead face. His blond hair gently blows in the new wind. The wind of death.

A cannon sounds, and I face the sky, my face bitter.

"See what you are, Panem? Thieves, rouges, bloodthirsty fiends who would do _this_," I gesture to Marco's body, "To the people who support you, help you, keep you from starving." I smile mockingly, "This is what you call The Hunger Games."

Amaranth kisses me on the mouth, then gently pulls away. I wonder how Sarah takes this back home, but I know it doesn't mean anything. It is goodbye.

"Thank you, Leon," she whispers, and then pulls the arrow from Marco's bleeding chest.

I wait for a moment, and then take the arrow. I put it in my bow, and walk towards the cornucopia. Amaranth and I both know what I am doing, and she walks with me, side by side.

The capitol will have no victor this year. No one to shower with gifts, no one to make famous. No one to show that the hunger games can benefit the lives of people. No, the capitol won't have Amaranth or I to crown champion.

That is why I aim my arrow, the symbol of hope, at the black, demonic box that will obliterate both the girl from 3 and the boy from 12.

The arrow leaves my bow, and as it's white tip enters the bomb and fire explodes everywhere, silencing the whole nation, I whisper,

"You're welcome, and may the odds be ever in your favor."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I hardly realize I'm shaking until the table begins to vibrate. Upon reading the last words, Peeta shakily lies the book down on Haymitch's table. My father's horrible recounting of his hunger games has awakened mine from my memories. Instead of Haymitch's sister, I picture Rue, arms slightly outward like a bird about to take flight. Violet, Rue, Prim, all young girls a lot like each other, all murdered by the capitol's cruel ways.

Haymitch's head is resting in his hands. He's probably recounting the last farewell he ever said to his sister, at the reaping.

At last I summon up enough strength to ask the questions I have been meaning to ask this whole time, "Haymitch, why did you never say you had a sister? How did my father survive the explosion? What happened to Amaranth?"

Haymitch uncovers his face, revealing his sorrow stricken features, "I couldn't tell you about any of it. The fifty-second hunger games were completely banned from all citizens of Panem and the districts. At about the part when Leon began telling the capitol off, they cut the hunger games off the air and all screens across the nation went black. They didn't want to have another uprising. Your father, he survived the explosion with many burns that would never heal. President Snow let him live on one condition, that he should never mention the fifty-second hunger games again. As for Amaranth, she didn't make it from the explosion. When we were still children, Leon used to tell me all about how even the capitol had trouble finding all of her pieces."

Peeta flinches at the gruesomeness of it all, but I keep staring into Haymitch's eyes. The eyes I know so well.

Finally, I ask the question that has been dying to be answered throughout the whole story, "Was my father's death really an accident?"

Haymitch pauses and stares right into my eyes for a long time, "No," he says quietly, "Panem decided they should fight fire with fire. So they used the tactic that he himself used when he was 17, an explosion."

I stare into his face for who knows how long, and then I let it all out. The emotions I've been holding in the whole time. I begin to sob, and I pound the table with my fist. Why had I not known about this? Surely Haymitch could have told me.

"I never told you," Haymitch says right on cue, "Because I knew you weren't ready. You've never been ready for the real story until now."

"Haymitch," Peeta says, "You must've helped Violet in some way, I mean, she was your sister."

"I admit," Haymitch shrugs sadly, "I did send her a few parachutes."

"Thank you," I muster, "I know my father really appreciated it."

"He never talked about the fifty-second hunger games again," Haymitch says, "He was too afraid that President Snow would kill his family if he did."

"I don't have a grandfather or grandmother on his side of the family," I say slowly.

"Oh yes," Haymitch sighs, "Sea and Tarin were killed before Leon ever got back from the capitol after the games."

"Who was this 'Sarah' he kept talking about?" Peeta asks.

"My mother," I say immediately, "Her name was Sarah."

"How did she take the kiss?" Peeta wonders, a small smile showing on his face.

Haymitch laughs weakly, "We weren't supposed to mention the hunger games, remember?"

I nod. I am stable enough now to think properly, and I know what to do now.

"Thank you, Haymitch," I smile.

"Katniss, you're going to have to tell me the beginning when we get home," Peeta turns to me, standing.

"No," I say quickly, sharply, "You'll have to read it for yourself."

Peeta nods, "I see your point."

Everyone musters a weak laugh, and I stand to leave with Peeta.

As we slip out the door into the calm night, surprisingly unchanged since before, I hear Haymitch whisper after us, "You're welcome, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

_**THE END**_

* * *

**Well, there you have it. Thanks for reading, everyone! I have planned and am starting to write a sequel to this, called "Muttation".  
I may never finish it, so don't get your hopes up, but the more support I get the faster I'll work. (^o^)/**

**Thank you for reading!**

**-Fubukikou135**


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